Wind Nocturne
by SheisNoLongerHere
Summary: After saving Talim's life, Yoshimitsu requests that she return the favor and join him in raiding Vercci's tomb to give to the poor. Meanwhile, Yunsung and Seung Mina keep having problems with Voldo stalking them, not to mention Nightmare in their wake.
1. A Rainy Night

Wind Nocturne  
  
By Gingivere the Shadowreaver  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own any character in this fanfics. All characters unless otherwise are copyrighted to Namco Ltd. This is for fan use only and should not be taken and published, because then you would get in trouble, and I would too.  
  
A/N: This is my first Soul Calibur fanfics, so don't be alarmed if it stinks horribly. Also, before anyone starts to wonder, this is NOT a Yoshimitsu/Talim fic, okay? Yeah, they get close and all, but ease your mind from that thought, okay? Good.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Chapter One  
  
Rain came again for a third night in a row to dampen the sky and the spirit of the young wonderer. To Hong Yunsung, the rain didn't really bother him much now as it would have a few weeks ago, and it did not falter his advance at all like it normally would have. He was used to it by now, so what would a little rain do to him anyway?  
  
A few weeks ago he would have probably complained that the rain was ruining his supplies and clothes, but now he didn't seem to care. His supplies was long since diminished, and it didn't matter what state his clothes was in once he found the Sword of Salvation. And nothing was going to stop him. Not rain, nor anymore warriors, nor that girl.  
  
He gave a short sigh just thinking about it. After months of traveling and fighting opponent after opponent, Yunsung was ready for anything, until that girl had to show up. Yes, that same girl he had met in his village a few months back. He remembered her way back when just as he remembered her now. The nerve of that girl to stand in his way and tell him what to do. Well, rather, what NOT to do.   
  
'I can't let you take that sword…' The girl had said, stepping in front of him as he tried to advance into the castle. He took the time to observe her, seeing her determined yet youthful face, her innocent eyes, and her small body there to impede his march. She wore a look that could not be ignored, as she rose her weapons against him. 'That sword is evil.'  
  
'I don't care if it's evil! I will protect my country!' He had said in a heartbeat, flashing his white blade and giving a swipe to knock her back, to prove that he was deadly serious. However, when she caught the blade and pushed him back, he realized that she was serious to her goal too.  
  
How dare someone try to stop him from saving his country?! He didn't care who stood in his way of that sword; he was going to get it to save his country! Not even if the one that stood in front of him was a girl at the age of fifteen, a mere child in the eve of this coming terror.  
  
He remembered seeing this girl from sometime before; not in battle, for this was the first time he had ever seen her dance-like moves. Even now he could almost see the winds force the trees into swaying, to take her form, like a ballerina with blades. Odd, definitely not the style he was used to at the dojo, but unique.   
  
Now, as he could almost see her in his mind's eyes, he remembered where he saw her from before. Yes, he had just jumped over the wall of his dojo to escape the constant nagging of the old man that constantly came by. With nothing but his own sword in hand, Yunsung was ready to flee from this village to find the legendary sword, when he nearly crashed on top of a girl. He heard her scream in enough time to try to make some sort of evasive maneuver, and thanks to that, he fell flat on his ass, but at least his missed whoever he was going to fall on. 'Hey, you shouldn't be wondering around a dojo, little girl! You could be-'  
  
Yes, that was the first time he met her, seeing the young foreign girl still bracing herself for the impact. Her outfit was beyond bizarre, something that reminded him of the Spaniards in the far west in Europe. Though, there was just something different about the outfit that didn't scream Spanish to him, and he wondered his gaze upwards, to look at the rest of her body.  
  
Instantly, the minute he set his eyes upon her chest, his hopes for meeting the girl of his dreams fell. Definitely a girl, he thought, guessing her age was between thirteen to sixteen, as she wasn't even fully developed yet. Nothing there to look at, he thought, continuing his gaze towards her youthful face…  
  
Big greenish-brown eyes, matching well with her dark black hair the highlighted a dark forest green in the sunlight and the slight tan of her face. She wore no make-up, as it was only so obvious as her lips did not seem to pronounce themselves as most other women would. A round, smooth face of a child stared at him; he gave another mental sigh. Too young!  
  
After their stare down, he finally knew her name, as it now seemed to echo through the harsh breeze that splashed the rain onto his face. "Talim."  
  
Yes, that was her name. How could he forget it? It was suck a weird name! He laughed at it, even now! Talim! Who would name their child Talim?  
  
It was obvious from the first sight of her and when she introduced herself that she was an outsider, and for some reason, when he could have left her alone, to escape the wrath of the masters at the dojo, he followed her. That was when he realized that this was the first time she ever left her home and was obviously lost…  
  
'Hey, little girl… do you need help going home?' Yunsung had told her in a rather snide voice, rather badgering her just to have her stay around a little bit longer. She stopped in her tracks and turned around, the wind seem to naturally dance around her. 'You lost? Cuz if you are, I can help you get back…'  
  
No, she didn't want to go back. She claimed she was on a mission… and that she needed to head to the west. Yunsung wasn't that naive; he knew what laid west. Europe… that was where all that so called weird stuff was happening, but, most importantly, that was where the Sword of Salvation was. When she told him her destination, his heart skipped a beat, as he proclaimed, 'A girl your age shouldn't be looking for trouble, at least not alone.'  
  
It was an invitation, one that she had turned down. Why? He didn't really know why, but he wasn't one to give up so easily. They had separated, and there they were again, standing apart from each other, though now their weapons were drawn and ready. She stood in his path, and he was not going to let a little girl stop him.  
  
That was when they fought, and his excellent sword skills were matched by her wind dance. Deep down inside, it felt wrong to fight her. She meant good and was only looking out for the safety of him and others. What if the sword was evil? If he attained it for his own purposes, rather for himself or to save his country, would he be unleashing chaos upon the world instead?  
  
At the time, he didn't care. He went all that way, and he was GOING to get that sword.   
  
The sad thing about the event was that he never got the sword, nor did he finish his fight with the girl. They were caught in a dead lock when she suddenly dropped her weapons and grabbed him, pulling him down. As he fell flat on top of her, he heard the screech of whatever demon was soaring over them. By the time he looked up, he saw the creature, bandages and claws decorated it's horribly pale skin. The face was probably the worst part, as whatever it was turned to them, sensing them as the bandages forbid his eyes to see and his mouth to speak.  
  
Never had Yunsung, nor Talim for that matter, seen a creature such as this, and the question of rather he was human or not never crossed his mind. Whatever it was had begun to crawl towards them, taking in staccato-like breaths as it charged them. Instantly, he grabbed his sword and jumped in front of the girl to protect her…  
  
It was all too strange for him to remember now, as it was too fuzzy. Whatever had attacked them was looking for something, something that the girl had. Every attack was directed towards her… what could she have possibly had that he would have wanted? Somehow, he feared it wasn't just the sword that this thing was after…  
  
Though now, it didn't seem to matter. No sooner had he begun battle with this creature, a new one showed up, though this one seemed to catch the creature's attention as well. And the one that appeared struck fear into all three of their hearts (that is, if whatever creature he was fighting had a heart), as the new threat smashed the demonic sword he wielded into the ground, causing Talim to lose her balance and fall on her rear and Yunsung almost did the same.  
  
What the hell was going on now?!  
  
This new intruder wore the most frightening of armor, his eyes were beaming red like one possessed, and his right arm was beyond all sense of reasoning, huge and clawed, seemingly fit for the monstrous sword he carried. Everything about this guy seemed to scream 'monster' to him, and he said but one word, raising his demonic sword again. 'Give…'  
  
And, once again, a fight broke out. Whatever the creature was, he seemed to have taken a hint at this newcomer's power, giving a shrilled hiss and nimbly flipping away, climbing up the walls and clinging, giving another hiss as he stayed in a safe place. If that demon feared him, then Yunsung knew that he should have done the same.  
  
'Give me the shard!' The man in armor shouted, his deadly gaze directed towards the girl that stood side by side with Yunsung. She wore a look of horror, as her hand brushed against the pouch at her waist… she had something he wanted. When she refused to budge, he rose his sword, giving a battle cry, 'GIVE IT TO ME!'  
  
Why didn't she give it to him, Yunsung pondered. He could have easily killed her, yet, she shook her head and dodged the attack. He did the same, knowing that he couldn't stop a sword like that once it was already set in motion. He never even caught this guy's name before he grabbed his leg with his normal hand and threw him into the wall. The impact of the wall was enough to send him into unconsciousness… however, he tried so hard to hang on, to see how Talim would fair against this demon…  
  
It was the last thing he said before drifting into unconsciousness, and here he was now, walking through the rain aimlessly. He didn't even remember waking up, but when he did, he had noticed that, within his hands, was her pouch where she hid the shard from that armored demon. It was empty now, as he presumed that the demon had taken it from her before he threw her off of the edge of the platform they were on…   
  
He could still hear her scream, cutting through his state of unconsciousness but he was left helpless. And now, here he was, frozen in his tracks, staring at the pouch that once hung from her waist. How dare that bastard kill a girl for a shard?! He crushed it within his hands, not realizing how much his grit his teeth until he nearly snapped his jaw from the might. Suddenly the thought of the Sword of Salvation and his country in need of dire help left his mind, as the thought of revenge seemed to push any other thought out. He'll make that monster pay for killing her.  
  
As a streak of lightning lit up the sky, Yunsung froze, blinking and look down at the pouch again. Why? It wasn't like he loved her or anything, was it? Giving the pouch another squeeze, he shoved it back into his pocket, and continued his mindless trek to nowhere. Never in his life was he left so confused and clueless, and he truly hated it. He was too young to be feeling like this… and what was worse was that he couldn't seem to forget about it.  
  
"Now what? No sword… I can't go back home now…" Yunsung moaned sadly, hearing his feet slosh in the rising water. He didn't want to go back to hide his face in shame; he could never return without that sword. So, what now? Continuing looking for a sword that was proclaimed evil? Or take revenge for the death of that girl?  
  
He knew of one thing to do, to test his love. He looked at his shimmering white blade, pondering if he should take the chance and look into it. Perhaps he did love her, though how and why was beyond his reasoning. However, before bringing up his sword to look, he stopped, letting it hang there uselessly and moving on.   
  
"Yeah right… she's not my type…"  
  
When he had taken the time to stop, he noticed an opening in the mountain, and as he wondered towards it, he realized it was a cave! Shelter was always good, he thought… and he began to climb up to claim it before anyone else could. Then he noticed smoke that rose from the cave and the small light… there was a fire there. Someone had claimed it before him.  
  
"Well shit… just my luck." Yunsung thought with a sigh, preparing to descend when his eyes caught the weapon that rested against the side of the wall. It was a fine looking halberd with a silver blade, one that Yunsung definitely seen before. "Hey… I know that weapon…"  
  
Now he entered the cave, regardless of his dripping clothes. He knew the clothing that was scattered along the cave floor. Yes he's definitely seem them before… especially that bra size. "Size D… could it be…"  
  
And, staring at him a few feet away, waist deep and half turned in the hot springs, was the woman he was about to name, her face as red as her clothing along the floor. "Seung Mina!" 


	2. The Unusual Savior

Wind Nocturne  
  
By Gingivere the Shadowreaver  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own any character in this fanfics. All characters unless otherwise are copyrighted to Namco Ltd. This is for fan use only and should not be taken and published, because then you would get in trouble, and I would too.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Chapter Two  
  
Rain. There was rain again...  
  
Talim never would have noticed if it had not slipped down the wooden mask of her savior and splashing this away and that when it fell onto her nose. That was what woke her up at first, but what got her jackknifing upwards was the crash of thunder and soft moan of her pillow. That was when she noticed the sad excuse for a fire that was slowly dying away, and her only light source was dwindling by a spark or two. There wasn't really much to look at, besides the walls of a small cave and a curtain of rain that soaked the night sky outside.  
  
Her first initial thought was that she fell into a hole, but what would explain the fire? She observed it a little while before wincing, finally acknowledging the fact that she had a bump on her forehead... where did she get that, she pondered, as she foolishly poked it to send another small spasm of pain throughout her body.  
  
The minute she touched the bump, memories began to flood the last wind priestess mind, recollecting the events that led her here. The first thing that she remembered... was that boy that she had met on her first stop out of her home, the one that nearly crashed on top of her when he leapt from the wall.  
  
What was his name again? Something odd... Hong Yunsung? She gave a nod; that was definitely it. It was a strange name to her, and she openly stated it when he mocked her own name. There were so many different customs in the world that Talim was clueless about, but she would only sigh and understand why she was so sheltered from it before.  
  
She remembered seeing him try to walk past her, to collect something. As she narrowed her eyes, she tried to remember what when she remembered her own words. 'The sword is evil...'  
  
Yes, the legendary sword that she had been hearing about so much. But the only thing she ever heard about that sword was the horror that it brought to any man that touched it. Yes, it was the very same sword that Yunsung was after... and she had met him there, to stop him. That was why she remembered the fight...  
  
"I wonder... where he is now... and how I got here..." Talim spoke softly to herself, drawing her knees to her nearly flat chest and giving a soft sigh. What drove her to stop him in the first place was beyond her reasoning, but she tried not to think of the reason why now. All that she could remember after that was the arrival of that bandaged man, then the demon cladded in armor...  
  
Who were those men, she thought to herself, finally bringing her hand down from her bump as she wrapped her arms around her knees. She could close her eyes and see the fate of the boy, being hurled into the wall like a rag doll and slipping into unconsciousness within a matter of seconds. And now, to her horror as she brought her hand to her waist, she remembered the demon's words. 'Give me the shard!'  
  
The shard! When she found her pouch missing, she nearly screamed! That was what that demon was after... the shard she found in her village so many months ago! Now she knew with all her heart that it was part of something evil, and, as a faint terror within her began to consume her now trembling body, she realized that it had fallen into the demon's hand... "Oh no..."  
  
Another crash of thunder followed the streak of lightening, forcing a startled cry from her throat as she looked up. Without the shard, what else was there left for her... had she failed her mission already? As the sound of rain regained outside of the cave, she buried her face into her hands and gave a short moan. Now what?  
  
Oddly enough, it seemed that her moan was echoed, though she did not realize it was loud enough to do such a thing. And, as if things could not get even weirder, her moan seemed to be... different... not in the same pitch as her own. And, when it came again, she suddenly realized that she was not alone in the cave...  
  
Talim turned around, using what little light she had to spot whoever shared the save with her. However, it didn't seem necessary, as two beaming red eyes flashed towards her, forcing another startled cry from her pressed lips. A demon?! Was it that same demon that attacked her before?!  
  
In an instant, she jumped to her feet, prepared to fight her way out when lightning lit up the sky, giving her a chance to see the outline of the body. No, this was certainly not the same as before... his right arm resembled nothing like the one she had seen earlier. Though, by the mere outlines of his body alone, she grew frightened, uncertain of this unknown visitor.  
  
She had no nerve to speak, as those eyes were transfixed on her. They seemed to wane in energy and dimmed for a second, before the figure tried to move. He gave a groan, and froze again, tilting his head slightly and freeing her from his gaze.  
  
"Could you be kind... and keep the fire going please?" The voice spoke, and to Talim, the voice was indescribable... it was definitely masculine, yet, rather high and wavering of an old folk's. It was mysterious as it was almost humorous to hear, yet she could not laugh at those eyes only dimmed even more. "And keep the flames away from my arm... though I could lend you it if you need more fire wood."  
  
Strange as it seemed, Talim could not help but smile slightly, not really understanding the mirth behind the man's words but obediently doing as he asked. "Yes, sir..."  
  
If only she could have seen his face, she would have realized that his smile was transfixed permanently onto his face, however, she assumed he wore a grin when he thanked her. "Thanks... you'd find it hard to light a fire when you're limb is part wood too..."  
  
That voice... it was rather soothing to the young girl, as she tried her best to keep the fire alive. As she began to fan it, she swore she heard him try to move, however, with another low groan, he froze and stayed still, growing oddly silent. Not turning from her task, she asked, "Are... are you hurt?"  
  
"A little... nothing I can't handle..."  
  
By the pain in his voice alone, she realized how serious the injury was, and she quickly turned to him, finally able to see most of his features thanks to the strengthened fire. What she saw amazed her, as she laid eyes on the oddest man she had ever came across in her entire life. His outfit was beyond bizarre and if he would have walked among a crowd he would have been spotted from miles away. But what caught her attention more was his arm, and now she understood why he had joked about staying away from the fire... his entire right arm was made out of wood!  
  
It was fascinating to look upon, as the jinks moved about constantly, despite the fact that he kept it still at his side, and if she had the time, she would have run a hand down its smooth texture, to see if it was real or not. By this time, she noticed his headgear and mask, which was also made entirely out of wood. The ever-smiling face stared back at her, beyond the wide grin and empty sockets were a black void except for those same beaming red eyes. What kind of a man was he?!  
  
And, while she was examining him, she noticed the blood that seeped through his entire left side, and fear pulsed through her veins as she saw his source of discomfort... she could clearly see the wound and the sliver of the metal that was still implanted in his body! She gave a gasp, as she quickly ran to his aid, "You're bleeding! What's happened to you? Who did this?"  
  
The voice was filled with fake mirth, as if he tried to cheer her up as she began to examine the piece of metal that was lodged into his left flank. "Long story... save it for later... while you're here, do you think you can... get it out?"  
  
"I hope... I hope you didn't get this because of me!" Talim exclaimed, surprised to see how much blood stained her hands just by touching the fabric of his bloodied clothing. It was a horrible sight to look upon, seeing the metal that was left there to sever the clothing and skin. She dared not touch it, but she swallowed the knot in her throat. "I can try... I'm so sorry if I cause anymore pain!"  
  
Again, his voice seemed cheerful, but distant. "Pain is only a hint that you are alive... but please make it quick... I feel a bit lightheaded..."  
  
Talim had never done this before, and she held her breath, slowly touching the piece of metal. The touch along made the man tense up, and his sick moan alone made her remove her hand. However, he edged her on, "Please take it out... it'll only get worse if it's left in there... just give it a quick tug, okay? I would do it myself if I had the strength left..."  
  
She gave a nod, biting her lower lip to add some pain to herself to make it seem fair. He relaxed his body, trying to make it easier on her as she once again grabbed the metal. This time, he tensed, but he made no sound until she pulled it out of his side. His blood left a trail, and he only cried out when it was completely out of his body, leaving Talim to stare at the fragment of the claw that had pained this man so...  
  
Now she remembered, and she whispered softly, "This claw... came from that bandaged man, didn't it? You... you took the hit when he came charging at me... didn't you?"  
  
He didn't even have to answer her, as she could see it now. When Yunsung had drifted into unconsciousness, chaos seemed to let loose, as she stood alone against the armored demon. He was slowly walking towards her now, and she stood, frozen like a deer seeing the hunter but too terrified to move. That was when she heard the loud scream rise from behind the demon, who turned to see who had arrived now.  
  
And that was the first time she had ever seen him, as he had appeared out of nowhere. She could clearly see his bizarre outfit and wooden features there, seeing the flag that rose from his back and decorated his outfit well. Yet, he was weaponless...  
  
Hearing his silence wasn't assuring, and she began to tear off part of her white pants to make bandages for his wound. The second she pressed the material against his wound, he emitted a low moan, and when he saw her jerk back, he tensed, to stop himself. A few seconds later, she tried again, and he kept silent, making no noise of discomfort as she tried to stop the bleeding.  
  
Finally, after a long moment of intolerable silence, Talim asked, "Why did you save me? It's not that I'm ungrateful, but I wish to know why a stranger would risk his life to help someone he doesn't know..."  
  
"Does it matter? The bleeding... stop it, then I shall explain..."  
  
What else could she do but obey? As she tried her best to nurse his wound, he seemed to be quite occupied by looking down at her with that everlasting grin of his, and his eyes, though blood red, seemed almost soothing and gentle. No, no fear nor evil radiated from this man, Talim thought, treating his injury with almost motherly care.  
  
"A little tighter... that'll do it good..." The odd man advised as she fixed the makeshift bandages around his stomach. After three or four rounds, it seemed to have worked, as the only blood she could see was the tried blood staining the bandages. She gave a sigh of relief, as he nodded, "That'll do, little girl... that'll do..."  
  
"You got that because of me... I remember it now, sir..." Talim lowered her gaze, as if ashamed of herself. As he eyed her, she continued, "You're arrival distracted the demon with the large arm, and then the one in the bandages attacked me... but you were there like a flash, as if you were always there. Why?"  
  
That grin seemed so much more noticeable, as he gave his reply, "You were in trouble. What else was I to do?"  
  
She didn't seem to like that reply, as he questioned it. "So you did it out of the kindness of your heart? What kind of man are you then?"  
  
"A super hero..."  
  
Rather it was a joke or not was a question left unanswered, as he tried to shift himself into a more comfortable position. Hearing his short cry, Talim rushed to his aide, helping him lay down now. He was heavy to her, but she did not complain, merely biting her lip and doing her best to keep him comfortable. As he panted, she began to look for anything to use as a blanket for her savior, and he looked to her as she searched. "Don't worry now, sir... I'll look over you now, just as you did to me. It's the least I can do."  
  
His voice was weak, as he asked, "What's your name?"  
  
"Talim..."  
  
A slight yet dainty chuckle rose from the masked man, and she feared that he too was going to make fun of it until he replied, "A pretty name... for a pretty girl."  
  
"What is your name, sir?"  
  
He looked at her blankly. She repeated herself. "I wish to know the name of the one that saved my life..."  
  
"It is I, Yoshimitsu," replied the man. " And Yoshimitsu, is I!"  
  
'Yoshimitsu...' Talim thought to herself, looking at him with her brownish-green eyes. She had never heard the name before, and though odd, it seemed comforting to know that he did not mock her name as several others had. When his eyes dimmed, she asked, "I'm afraid I don't have any blankets handy... is there anything else I can do for you, Mister Yoshimitsu?"  
  
He seemed hesitant, then asked, "Can... you sing me to sleep? I always sleep better... after a good song..."  
  
That was almost embarrassing, as Talim tensed up slightly. She could not tell if he was joking or not, however, she took a breath and asked, "Is there a certain song? I'm afraid I don't know many... and my singing is not the best."  
  
"Did your mother ever sing you to sleep, Talim?"  
  
"Many times..." Talim replied, remembering the times when she was happily home with her friends and family... she missed those days greatly. Then, she remembered the one of the few songs her mother had sung to her, and she lowered her gaze. "I can sing you one if you like..."  
  
That seemed to please him, as his voice and eyes began to fade away, barely holding on to consciousness... "You'd be surprised how much pleasure such simple things as a lullaby can bring... please?"  
  
As the rain continued to pour freely outside of the cave, Talim sat on her knees next to Yoshimitsu, taking a deep breath and beginning one of the lullaby's her mother would sing to her when she was young. Her voice, though meek, seemed to comfort the strange man, as his muscles relaxed, and sleep slowly began to overtake him.  
  
"Wishing on a dream that seems far off  
  
Hoping it will come today  
  
Into the starlight night, foolish dreamers turn their gaze  
  
Waiting on a shooting star...  
  
But, what if that star has not come?  
  
Will their dreams fade to nothing?  
  
When the horizon darkens most  
  
We all need to believe there is hope...  
  
Is an angel watching closely over me?  
  
Can there be a guiding light I've yet to see?  
  
I know my heart should guide me, but...  
  
There's a hole within my soul!  
  
What will fill this emptiness inside of me?  
  
Will I be satisfied without knowing?  
  
I wish then for a chance to see, now all I need...  
  
Is my star to come..."  
  
The minute she ended the last note, she knew he was asleep. A soft snore rose, almost matching the sweet echoes of her voice in the cave. Talim looked down at him with a sad smile, not realizing why she had sung such a sad song. 'It doesn't matter... he probably didn't hear half of it anyway...'  
  
Now, with her savior sleeping, she was alone, and sleep would not come to her. So, sitting against the wall with her knees to her chest, Talim stayed awake to keep guard, just in case of that demon with the oversized arm or the bandaged man should arrive. She wasn't a match for them, she knew, but she would defend herself and Yoshimitsu with her life if she had to...  
  
'I wonder... if Mister Yunsung is even alive...' Talim thought grimly to herself, but she didn't dwell on the thought for too long. Surely he was fine since he didn't have anything those two demons were after, and he was happily on his way to finding that sword. She gave a sad sigh... for she knew he would never find the Sword of Salvation... nor would he ever feel the same way about her as she thought of him.  
  
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A/N: The song that Talim sings is called 'Wind Nocturne'... I can't tell you who it's by, but it's a nice song and you should try downloading it some time. 


	3. Arrousing Questions

Wind Nocturne

By Gingivere the Shadowreaver

----  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own any character in this fanfics. All characters unless otherwise are copyrighted to Namco Ltd. This is for fan use only and should not be taken and published, because then you would get in trouble, and I would too.

-----

Chapter Three

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"So… what's she like?"  
  
If there was something about Hwang Seung Mina that Yunsung didn't like, it was the way she treated him sometimes, like a little brother or a child. If he did something wrong at the dojo, she would take up on his defense, but when the elders' backs were turned, she carried on with the scolding. And when something bothered him, she was always there to badger the information out of him. To be quite honest, she was part of the reason why Yunsung left as well…  
  
She was his inspiration. Somewhat. Other than his quest of the Sword of Salvation, Seung Mina was a big influence on his itch for adventure. She was his inspiration… every time he thought of her, or the dojo and the nagging of the elders there, he ventured further and further away. Not just to avoid their badgering, but more so to prove them wrong and get the respect he felt he deserved.  
  
Though now, he didn't mind her constant nagging; it was better than silence. Silence only brought depression. His face was still a bit red from her harsh slap, though the pain was worth it. A size D to remember…  
  
Seung Mina traveled a bit ahead of him, carrying only her halberd as the youth carried all of her belongings, as punishment for catching a glimpse of her in the nude. "Well? Hey, get your head out of the clouds, will you?"  
  
"What kind of a question is that?" Yunsung finally replied, giving a huff as he tried to get the luggage onto a more comfortable position. His neck still slightly ached from the fight, and the added weight wasn't helping at all.  
  
"You know, that girl you told me about last night!" Seung Mina answered, turning about and seeing that his load was a bit too heavy on him. He had not told her about the fight, otherwise, she wouldn't have forced so much onto him. He gave her a blank look, until she explained further. "Talim… that's her name! You were calling it out in your sleep and you told me all about her!"  
  
His eyes widened with shock, as he asked, "What?!"  
  
"You talk in your sleep, remember?"  
  
Now, Yunsung's eyes twisted with anger, however, all he did was give an angered shout as the woman giggled. Seeing that he was in a grumpy mood, she stopped, but she still kept her mirth as she badgered on. "Really, all you did was call her name once or twice… who is she?"  
  
Yunsung looked away, as if his own eyes would betray him if he dared look at her. How could he describe how he felt about her when he wasn't completely sure himself? He proclaimed after awhile, "She's someone I fought against recently. Not my type."  
  
"Your type? That's just like you, to have a list for women of your preference!" Seung Mina laughed, and they continued their trek to their destination. She, too, was in search of the Sword of Salvation, so the two decided to accompany each other. Sure, she was suppose to bring him back to the dojo, but they were already so far away! What was the point? Besides, both of them needed the adventure… "So tell me, Yunsung, what IS your type?"  
  
The youth gave an almost dream-filled look as he began the list. "First, she must be my age, a few inches shorter than me, say, five feet six inches. Also, a set of healthy size D… breasts, a good tan, long hair, either red or blonde, and blue eyes."  
  
The look she gave was a skeptical one, though typical coming from someone as seasoned as her. She shook her head, as if to pity him, "Well, keep your priorities so high and you'll die a virgin hermit, Yunsung. What's this Talim like?"  
  
"Hey, I don't care about her-"  
  
"Yes…" She stopped, walked up to him and stared at him face to face, all cheerfulness gone as it suddenly grew serious. "You do… otherwise, you wouldn't be wearing that depressing look on your face every time you think I'm not looking. This isn't the Yunsung I remember."  
  
Immediately he began to make up excuses, "I'm tired-"  
  
"You slept twelve hours."  
  
"I'm still sore from a battle!"  
  
"Quit whining! You never whined about an injury back at the dojo… since when were you a sissy?"  
  
He continued in his sad attempt to deny her accusations, but it was already obvious that he was failing. "Look, I've been gone for a few months in search of a weapon that probably doesn't exist… I could search the world a million times over, and I still wouldn't find it."  
  
Now Seung Mina's eyes softened, giving him a look that a big sister would give to her little brother. "Now you know how Master Hwang feels, to spend all this time searching and not finding anything. Are you going to give up and go back now without it, when everyone at home is expecting you to return with that blade?"  
  
At this point, Yunsung wore an almost defeated sigh, one that worried his friend more. He didn't even answer… something was definitely wrong. After a few seconds of silence, Seung Mina asked, "What happened yesterday?"  
  
"It doesn't matter… it's done and over with."  
  
He tried to press on, but she would not step aside. Instead, she extended her hand and gave him a harsh push, making him lose balance and fall flat on his rear as she stood above him, hands on hip. As Yunsung looked up at her, she spoke harshly and vividly, making sure he heard and understood every word. "Hong Yunsung, this is not like you at all! You're going to tell me what happened between you and that girl, or I will castrate you this very instant! Do you understand me?"  
  
The word 'castrate' made the boy close his legs immediately, a look of horror flashing across his youthful features. He knew she meant every word… and if he didn't answer her soon, she was definitely going to do it. So, he took a breath, an began as best as he could, "I thought I was getting close to the Sword, when she got in my way and tried to stop me."  
  
"Why? Did she want it for herself?"  
  
"No… she said something about it being evil…" Yunsung replied, giving a shrug as he dismissed the idea. "Anyway, I tried to go forward, but she still wouldn't budge, so we fought…"  
  
To that, Seung Mina gave a sly grin. "You sure do know how to woo the ladies… first girl that actually shows interest in you and you duel her."  
  
Looking, up, Yunsung barked back, "What do you mean by that?"  
  
"She warned you about the sword possibly being evil… she didn't HAVE to, but she did it because she cares about what happens to the world should you awaken some evil power, as well as the well-being of yourself." Seung Mina answered, shaking her head and sighed. "Why don't you just admit that you knew that she liked you?"  
  
He didn't even look at her as he got himself back up, brushing the dirt from his rear. "Because… well, because it's a hindrance!"  
  
"A hindrance?"  
  
Nodding, he let his pride speak for him, "Yeah… I mean, I was going after the sword, I don't need some girl getting in the way, no matter WHO she is!"  
  
This seemed to anger Seung Mina greatly, however, she merely puffed her cheeks and let out a long sigh. "I suppose it's what's to be expected of you… yeah, a real lady charmer, Yunsung…"  
  
"Shut up…" Yunsung tried to collect all of the luggage and belongings, positioning it into a more comfortable position as they started walking again. He didn't know if she wanted him to continue or not, really, as she grew almost deathly silent, but he did so anyway, "Anyway, we fought, alright? No big deal…"  
  
"My ass… who won?"  
  
He wanted to lie and say that he was the victor, but something encouraged him to tell the truth somehow. "Neither of us… we never finished…"  
  
Now she laughed, "Did common sense stop the fight or was it the thought that you LIKED her?"  
  
"Neither one, ok? We were interrupted… by some weird freak wrapped up in bandages." Yunsung admitted, not seeing her stop and look at him as he kept on going. "I don't know why… but he was after her. It was as if she had something that he wanted…"  
  
"Did you save her?"  
  
He scowled, "Yeah, but don't think it was because I was in love or anything- he interrupted our fight!"  
  
"Oh!" She grinned from ear to ear. "So you DO like her!"  
  
Realizing his mistake, he snapped, feeling the blush brighten his cheeks as she began to laugh. "What? It wasn't like that, I swear! He… he interrupted our fight!"  
  
"Yeah, sure…"  
  
"Really!"  
  
Seung Mina obviously didn't buy it, and Yunsung realized now that living with her would be a lot more difficult now. So what if he DID like her? What was it to her?  
  
"So, what happened next? Did the two of you team up and fight off this freaky bandaged man?" Seung Mina asked, not even realizing how deep she struck, as she never noticed Yunsung's expression. "I bet you two did… and I'm willing to bed you guys made a pretty cute team! Am I right, Yunsung?"  
  
He was silent for a few moments, and she finally turned around, to see the anger in his eyes, as he answered, "Someone else showed up too… I don't know who he was, but she had something that he wanted, and he was just… too powerful. When I woke up, I was alone…"  
  
"And…" Seung Mina's voice lowered, seriousness actually obvious now in her voice. "The girl…?"  
  
"Dead for all I know… we were so high on that castle; he probably threw her off."  
  
"Yunsung, I'm sorry-"  
  
He cut her off, breaking past her and walking ahead, as if to not care at all for her concern. "Don't worry about it… she didn't mean anything to me anyways. Come on, let's go already. You're too slow."  
  
That finally seemed to do the trick, as Seung Mina backed off of the topic all together. All she did was give a sigh, tapping her weapon against her boot and following up behind him. "Fine, whatever you say, Yunsung… but you know, I think that you still need to change your standards… you'll die a virgin."  
  
And so the two continued down the path, both hoping for a village soon… Seung Mina only wondered how much longer her friend was going to stay in this bad mood. Yunsung, on the other hand, wondered if anyone in the next village to tell him more of that nightmarish creature…

----  
  
Sunlight.  
  
That wasn't what woke Talim up, but instead, the fact that her savior was no where to be found.  
  
Instantly a sense of panic overcame her, as she quickly leapt to her feet, groping the ground for her weapons. Where has Yoshimitsu gone?! She could feel no blood, at least no new blood, from where Yoshimitsu slept, and that made her panic even more. What if was taken away? How long was he gone?  
  
She cursed to herself, knowing now that she should have never had fallen asleep. She swore she only closed her eyes for a second…  
  
Finally, as her fingers slipped onto the handle of one of her elbow blades, she rose to her feet, not even bothering with the second one as she rushed towards the opening of the cave; she didn't know why she went outside first… it never crossed her mind, as she dashed out into the open land, careful not to slip on the fresh, damp grass. The combined forces of the storm the night before and the morning dew made it just so easy to slip.. not to mention she still hadn't completely recovered from the attack.  
  
'Please… let nothing bad happen to him…'  
  
Somehow, blind fate led her to voices, and she heard a laugh, though it wasn't one that she wanted to hear. It didn't strike any familiarity to her at all…  
  
"Listen, freak… you need to learn to mind your own business, or we'll take your other hand!"  
  
That was all the proof that she needed, as she ran towards the direction of that voice. When another came, she tried her best to be the wind itself, "Yeah… we'll use that funky arm of arm of yours for our fire, then beat you senseless with the other! That'll teach ya!"  
  
Finally, as she broke through the bushes, she could see what was going on. Four guys circled around two men, one of which was on the ground, trembling with fear, as the other, the one that had saved her earlier, stood his ground in front of the trembling man. She stood in horror, wondering exactly what had happened, until one of the disgruntled looking men spotted her. "Hey, little girl, go back to your mother! We got business to settle here!"  
  
That was when they all turned to look at her, and Yoshimitsu gave a slight turn of his head, as the leader, a man with a rather tight face and his black hair half hidden under a red bandanna, gave a sneer. Talim took the time to notice their weapons, seeing their clubs stained with blood. Were these bandits?  
  
"What are you doing?" Talim asked, regaining her strength as she, too, stood her ground. The leader's eye glanced towards her loan weapon, as he frowned.  
  
One of the bandits laughed, "What does it look like, little girl? And what do you plan on doing about it?"  
  
Though Talim wished to answer, it was Yoshimitsu who did, though his voice was almost unheard to the bandits around him. "Thieves of the lowliest kind, striving only to reap from those weaker than you. And, to answer the next question, I plan on taking back the gold you stole from this man…"  
  
"What did you say, freak?!"  
  
Now, their attention turned back towards Yoshimitsu, and Talim feared for the worse, as the leader raised his hand, ready to fight. "I'll knock that grin right off your face before I unmask you… die!"  
  
"No, don't hurt him-" Talim instantly shouted, though it seemed too late, as the men threw themselves at the masked warrior. She knew Yoshimitsu couldn't fight… his wound would split right open! However, when she blinked, she stopped dead in her tracks, seeing both Yoshimitsu and the trembling man gone from sight.  
  
And Talim wasn't the only one confused, as one of the bandits dared speak up, "Hey, where'd he go?"  
  
She couldn't tell them; she didn't know. As the leader looked back at her, to ask, he heard one of his men scream, falling flat on his face as something struck him from behind. As the others turned to see their comrade face first on the ground, another joined him, but this time, Talim could see Yoshimitsu's hand, chopping him in the back of the neck. The final two bandits stared with disbelief, as he, too, went to join his comrade.  
  
This time, though, Yoshimitsu did not fade away, as he stood across from them, his fists curled and feet spread apart, as if to wait for their attack. Nobody moved for a second, and Talim stood in complete shock. Wasn't it just a few hours ago that this man was leaning against the wall of the cave, nursing a wound? How could this be that he was standing there, looking perfectly healthy? Was her mind fooling her?  
  
"You… you punk!" The bandit in the white headband shouted, rushing at the masked fighter with his club in the air. When the weapon came hurling down, to smash into Yoshimitsu's face, it only hit air, as he dodged the blow, side stepping and driving his foot into the man's head. As like the other two, the bandit was unable to keep hold of consciousness, giving a grunt before crashing down to the earth in defeat.  
  
Now, there was only one man standing, and by this time, the leader seemed to know what he was up against. As Yoshimitsu regained his posture, the man just stood there, staring at him with confused brown eyes. Talim remained silent, as the bandit asked, "Who the hell are you?! What are you?"  
  
It was as if he had been waiting for someone to ask, as Yoshimitsu did a rather cute pose, at least in Talim's mind. The bandit, however, took it as a form of mockery, as Yoshimitsu answered in a rather preppy voice. "I am Yoshimitsu! And I am a ninja!"  
  
With that being said, the fight was over, and Talim did not know whether to applaud him, for his excellent work, or to begin to fear him, as he disappeared into a green smoke and reappeared behind the leader of the bandits, who merely coughed up a little blood and fell into unconsciousness. By the time he fell to the ground, Yoshimitsu was adjusting his helmet, brushing back the hint of hair that had gotten through to the last hit.  
  
And still, Talim could say nothing, as words escaped her. What had just happened?!  
  
Now, Yoshimitsu walked over to a rather odd looking pair of bushes, grabbing the branches and moving them aside as the frightened man finally looked up at him. The man had the same curse upon him, as he said nothing when Yoshimitsu asked, "You there! Do you acquire any assistance… though granted, it is a bit late for that…"  
  
"Sir… I don't care who you are, or what you are…" the man began to say, and a relieved smile sprung upon his once troubled face, as he rose from the bushes, hug his savior. "But thank you… thank you so much…"  
  
Finally, Talim found words, as she began to approach them, "Sir… are you alright?"  
  
They didn't know who she was addressing, but as the man began to sob with relief, Yoshimitsu turned his head, to show off the plastered smile of his, though anyone could imagine his grin right about now. "He will be alright… he took a nasty hit to the back, though. Might want to get that looked at."  
  
"That's good at least… but what about you?" Talim asked, and Yoshimitsu turned completely around, to look at her. Though she couldn't see his expression because of the mask, she could almost sense it, "What about your wound… from last night?"  
  
Suddenly, as if it had struck him, he replied, though it was very quick. "Oh, no worries, young lady! Everything is just fine!"  
  
Though Talim couldn't truly believe it, she let it go, as the sobbing man finally gained control of himself, and his joy was ever so obvious. "I was coming back from the city… I had just sold off most of my family's belongings, just to get the money for my daughter. God, I should get back to her now… I may be too late!"  
  
"What's wrong with your daughter?" Talim asked, though whether or not it was considered rude never crossed her mind.  
  
"She's very ill… and we couldn't afford the medicine… but now I have it! I can save her…" Again, he hugged onto Yoshimitsu, and Talim could hear his grunt. "Thanks to you… thank you!"  
  
'Poor man…' Talim could not help but think to herself, and she watched, as Yoshimitsu tried to free himself from his hold. She thought it was generosity, until she noticed the blood that now seeped through his clothing. The wound… had it reopened?! "Yoshimitsu, your wound, it's-"  
  
"I know… but don't worry about it…" The man replied, hiding any and all discomfort as he finally removed the man from his hold. It was only so obvious now, as the light in his eyes seemed to dim a little. "Let's waste no time- tell me where the village is and I shall take you…"  
  
The man had noticed the blood as well, as he asked, "Sir?! Will you be alright?"  
  
Now there seemed to be a hint of urgency, as the masked ninja hissed, "No time, no time! Quickly grab your gold and jump on my back! You'll never get back in time by running…"  
  
No one could question his order, and it was Talim that had actually grabbed the pouch that the leader of the bandits dropped. As Yoshimitsu allowed the man to crawl onto his back, somehow avoiding the fan, Talim asked, "Where are you going? I'm coming with you…"  
  
The man replied, pointing towards the south, "It's about twenty-five miles southward… if you take the path left of here, you should be able to get there by nightfall. It'll be much safer there…"  
  
He could not say anything more, as Yoshimitsu gave a high pitched scream, the green mists dancing about him once more as he and the man disappeared. Talim stood there, confused as to what had just happened. Strange… it was all so strange! Who was Yoshimitsu, and, as he took a glance towards the unconscious bandits, she, too, began to wonder. What was he? How could he have moved so fast?  
  
Still, as she held her one tonfa in her hand, she realized that now was not the time for this. So, with her one weapon, she followed the man's advice, breaking off into a sprint as she went towards the village. Maybe there Yoshimitsu could get the healing he needed, and she herself can get a few questions answered. There was just… something about that Yoshimitsu that made her so curious!  
  
Had she had taken the time, though, to go back to the cave to find her other weapon, she would have noted the foot prints of Yunsung and Seung Mina, heading in the same exactly direction as the village… and also, the sight of the bandaged creature that followed them, holding his broken weapons in his hands and giving a pained hiss as he, too, continuing his own fruitless search…

----  
  
Author's Note: Jesus H. Christ on a 4-wheeled bicycle… this took way too long to get out. I am very sorry about the lack of updating… but I almost forgot about this one! I missed it, too… so thus, I revive it! Ho-ha!


	4. Third Hand

Wind Nocturne 

By Gingivere the Shadowreaver

Disclaimer: I do not own any character in Soul Calibur II. Talim, Yunsung, Yoshimitsu, Seung Mina, and all other characters are copyrighted to Namco, unless otherwise stated. This story should not be stolen or redistributed, otherwise I'd get upset and cry.

Author's Note: God… this is too darn late…

Chapter Four

When Talim saw the sign for the village, she was more than relieved. She had spent most of the time running, hoping to get to the village before nightfall. She seemed lucky and the wind seemed to be more than willing to guide her, as she stood outside the gates, taking only a moment to catch her breath.

Amen to be out of those woods, she thought, giving it another look as she tried to steady her breaths. The darkness seemed to have a lasting hold in there, forever night, and twice as freaky. She couldn't shake the feeling that she wasn't alone in those woods, and it wasn't just the normal woodland creatures.

Now, she turned away from the city, to look at the village ahead of her. Somehow, in its entire primitive outlook in the normal society, it only seemed to be home for her. Still, despite the beauty in it, she tried to ignore that fact, rushing into its open gates and not even waving to the guards that eyed her.

They didn't seem to bothered by her presence, actually, even as they noticed the one elbow blade that she had in her hands. What could a young girl do?

"Hey, it's you, from the forest!"

She stopped, looking up and spotting the man that looked familiar. That's right, he was there from earlier today! He wore bandages on his hands and around his forehead, but otherwise, he seemed alright, as he rushed to greet her. Now she stopped, taking a breather as he approached her, "Thank heavens you're alright…"

Talim gave him a smile, despite the sweat that ran down her face. She dared not open up to him, to let him know how afraid she was in those woods. "I came as fast as I could… tell me, is Yoshimitsu alright?"

"Of course, of course…" The kindly man smiled, as others in the village began to stop and stare. Talim could see their baggy clothing, though they did not bother her too much. But those stares… why did they stare at her like this? Was it her clothing? She couldn't ponder on it for too long, as the man got her attention again, "He collapsed shortly after bringing me here… he's in one of our finest cabins resting right now, though… but he should be fine."

"Oh… thank of Wind Deity then that he got here on time!" Talim proclaimed, falling to her knees as they could not hold her up anymore. Instantly, the man was at her side, and she tried so hard to stand again, only to fail. Was she really that tired?! "I'll be alright… I'm just a little exhausted, sir…"

However, she must have looked really bad, for the man to show such concern. "A little? No, please, let me help you… it's the least I can do!"

"Thierry, who is she?" Someone asked, and the woman scuffled out into the streets, to eye the scene. The minute she laid eyes on Talim, her eyes sparkled, and she rushed to the young Wind Priestess, using her apron to wipe away the sweat and dirt. "Oh dear me, what was a little girl like you doing out in those woods?! Did those thieves hurt you, my dear? Are you hungry?"

How could Talim answer any of these? Even her own MOTHER didn't coddle her like this! She looked up at this woman with big, bright eyes, trying to find where to start. The woman, however, didn't give her a chance, as she was kind enough to help the poor girl to her feet. "Come inside, dearie! We'll clean you up and give you something nice and warm to eat; you're nothing but skin and bones!"

And Talim knew not to decline, yet she wondered how she could even begin to thank her. "T-thank you, ma'am…"

Still, her mind lingered on Yoshimitsu, but she said nothing, merely accepting the offer with as much gratitude as her tired body could muster. Perhaps the world wasn't all that bad… and she smiled, thankful to at least be in a small, welcoming village for once.

"Mind telling me why we're in a bar again?"

Seung Mina almost ignored the question, as she entered without any concern that the restaurant was nearly empty. It was far too early in the day for the usual crowd to be there, she noted, and she was thankful to see several seats and tables still available. She grabbed the closest to the door, taking her seat and waiting for Yunsung to do the same.

The youth just gave her a look, and she sighed, "We're stopping here to eat; it's not just a bar. Now be a good boy and listen to your elders."

"Fine… but it's still wasting time." He took a seat, kicking the chair in his normal, cocky manner and sitting on it before it could fall over. Seung Mina smiled, and Yunsung instantly noticed that, "What?!"

"Just realizing how much I missed your antics at the Dojo, that's all." She replied, that smile almost transfixed onto her own youthful face. Yunsung mentally smiled as well, realizing that he had missed that face as well. But still… he turned away, and Seung Mina instantly saw through it, "We're not wasting time; just resting and getting some food in our body. One should never travel on an empty stomach…"

He just nodded, as he crossed his arms and said nothing until the waiter put down the menus and left again. Yunsung took a glance at it and grimaced, realizing he didn't even recognize the text… "Right."

"Speaking of which, how often do you eat? You look a lot slimmer; could it be that you finally lost all your baby fat?"

"What was that?!" Yunsung glared at her, but she only continued to laugh. Her playful nature seemed to irk him, as he merely folded his hands and looked away and gave a huff. "Immature."

The doorbell chimed, and Yunsung and Seung Mina took a glance at the figure that had walked in. By the look on Seung Mina's face, it was obvious that they both knew each other. Yunsung could not help but stare, a slight smile rising on his face as she stopped, her rather healthy size DD jiggling for a second before pausing like the rest of her body. Her slanted eyes narrowed, as Seung Mina muttered her name, "Taki…"

"Hwang Seung Mina…" The woman named Taki replied, and Yunsung took the moment to remove his eyes from her breasts to look at the rest of her body. She wore a skin tight red suit, an odd design on one leg, though Yunsung didn't care for it too much. Her hair was long, sleek, and black, tied back into a ponytail to keep it off of her obviously Asian face, which when it was not bent with anger, it seemed so perfect. Damn! "I thought you returned home…"

Yes, they obviously knew each other, as Taki stood at their table now, arms crossed, making her boobs more pronounced. It took everything and more for Yunsung to stop staring, but eventually, Seung Mina kicked him from underneath the table, as she spoke to Taki. "Returned and back again… I had to retrieve my friend here."

Taki now noticed Yunsung, as the boy rubbed his shin. She merely rose an eyebrow, then looked back at the red head. "I see he has White Storm with him… is he the one you sent out to retrieve the Sword of Salvation?"

"Technically, no…" Seung Mina smiled, leaning against the palm of her hand as she sent Yunsung a look, to silence him. He hated it, but he obeyed, not really wanting a fight to break out so soon. "But nevertheless, here we are, embarking on, yet, another journey to retrieve it."

Now Taki grinned, and, surprisingly, she sat down to join them. She was very lady-like, despite her tough appearance. "I see… well, you're wasting your time if you think that sword will help you."

Angered, Yunsung growled, slamming his hand on the table and making their cups bounce, though it did not seem to affect the female ninja whatsoever. "I will get that sword, and it WILL help protect my country!"

"Yunsung, shut up."

Seung Mina snapped, and Yunsung reluctantly obeyed. He glared at Taki, though, as she merely kept her smile. Her voice was a lot softer now, as she explained herself, "What I meant to say is that the sword is evil, boy. All those who have touched it have witnessed nothing but insanity and horror… a bright and charming young boy like you would do better fighting in the war with the White Storm than with such a cursed weapon."

Yunsung didn't really know how to take that, so he said nothing, merely crossing his own arms and falling quickly out of love with her. And Seung Mina spoke up, trying to act civilized to make up for the moody behavior of her friend. "Then why are you after it so much?"

"I have my own reasons… but I do not intend to use it against anyone else, if it makes you feel any better." Taki closed her dark eyes, her smile quite rare. She waited until the people around them continued with their conversation, before she spoke up, addressing Yunsung once more. "I couldn't help but eavesdrop on your conversation… I'm here because I heard you speaking of a past encounter with a demon, correct?"

The Korean boy nodded, speaking with slight venom as he thought about it, "Yeah… I ran into two. One was wrapped in bandages and the other was this freakish thing with a weird arm… man, if I ever seen them again, I'll hold nothing back!"

Taki's glare silenced him once more, as she did not wish to draw attention to themselves. "I'm sure you wouldn't… and as well as you shouldn't. I know the first one… his name is Voldo. He's been after the sword for quite some time now…"

"I thought he sounded familiar," Seung Mina proclaimed. "And the second? He sounds awfully familiar too…"

"Which arm, you say, looked odd?" Taki asked, as Yunsung tried to recollect. "And what did it look like? Was it a wooden arm, or was it more monstrous looking?"

Yunsung narrowed his eyes, "Not wooden… but… when I woke up, there was small pieces of wood on the ground. The hand I remembered look like it would have fit on a monster rather than a human being."

It was as if she was waiting to hear that, as Taki nodded, "Nightmare. He has a simple name and a simple purpose… you're lucky to have survived."

"Not… really." Yunsung thought, wanting to say what happened to Talim, but losing his nerves. Taki waited for him to explain himself, and Seung Mina knew what he was going to say, as he backed down. "So that's their names, eh… well, when I find them, they'll be sorry they messed with me."

"Don't get cocky, boy… as I said, you are quite the lucky one to live after an encounter with those two." Taki stated, leaning back in her chair. "Why did they attack you? Did you have something they wanted?"

He shook his head, now deciding to tell her of Talim. "No… but the girl did. Talim… don't think you heard of her, though…"

"No… she's someone I have not bothered to meet. What did she have?"

He shrugged, reaching into his pocket and pulling out the pouch, to see what was inside. When he opened it and shook it a little, a small, black and red shard plopped out on his hand, and the minute he touched it, he could feel a strange aura overcome him, forcing him to drop it on the table. Taki's eyes shot open with a glare, as Seung Mina gasped, "That's a fragment of Soul Edge!"

"What?"

"A sword of demonic powers… probably the sword that you're after," Taki stated, reaching to grab the shard. However, Yunsung did not allow her to take it, as he quickly swiped it away, holding it close. She glared at him, "It would be best if you didn't mess with that, boy… you don't know what it can do."

Yunsung hissed, "I know what it can do… this stupid little shard is what caused an innocent girl to die! And you want it?!"

Seung Mina spoke up, "Yunsung, don't make a scene!"

"Shut up, Mina!" Yunsung retaliated, regaining some of his old vigor as he sent his glare back to the seemingly calm ninja. "I don't know why a little girl like her would have had this, but those two demons attacked her because of it!"

And Taki, speaking in such a clever form, easily angered the boy. "And though you speak of her as a friend, how is it that you could not protect her?"

"WHAT?!"

Now Yunsung's eyes were lit with fire, but still, Taki seemed unconcerned, if anything, highly amused, as she broke off into laughter. Yunsung instantly rose to his feet, but whether it was lucky for him or for Taki, Seung Mina intervened. "Hey, now that's hitting below the belt…"

"Fine then, I will ask another question, and you must answer me, boy…" Taki's apology was odd, but to Yunsung, this didn't really get him by surprise at all. After all, her race was at war with his… he merely spat, sitting back down but still clinging to the shard and the pouch that had belonged to Talim. "What are you plan on doing with that shard, boy? What use is it to you now?"

The best kind of reply would have been for him to ask the same question, or perhaps to tell her that it was truly none of her business. However, his wits were not with him, and he ran on impulse, and to Seung Mina, and to Taki though she would have never have admitted it, the reply came from his heart. "This shard lured them to her… and it will lure them to me so that I can kill them. After that… I don't know, but I will have my revenge!"

Neither one could deny his reasons, and much to his surprise, neither one of them nagged or belittled him. In fact, Taki's smile seemed more towards him, though perhaps it was her pride that was holding her back. However, she seemed to have lost interests in badgering him, as she nodded and then looked to Seung Mina. "The plan will work… I have a feeling that one of those two is pretty close. I won't take the shard, but I will warn you both to be on your guard…"

"We wouldn't want to be caught otherwise," Seung Mina quickly said, more to entice her into leaving than anything else. She didn't want Yunsung to blow up again, and Taki wasn't going to make things better, though now it seemed a bit calmer. She nodded, as the ninja rose to leave without even ordering a drink or anything. Before she could go, though, Seung Mina stopped her, "Wait, when you were asking about one of the attackers, you mentioned someone with a wooden arm…"

Taki blinked, as if to recall the moment, "Yes… why do you wish to know now?"

As Yunsung seemed to have lost all interests in the conversation, the daughter of Hwang asked, "What about him? Yunsung said he found a few pieces of wood… do you think he was involved?"

"Not much is known about him, some even say he's not even human, but I have heard of him. He's something that I wouldn't want to associate myself with…" Taki stately flatly, as if she didn't care at all. Neither one questioned why, as she finished her explanation before leaving completely. "His name is Yoshimitsu, and he has a wooden arm because he is the only surviving member of the Manji Clan. He, too, is after the Sword, at least the last time I checked."

And with that, she was gone. The two Koreans looked at each other, and Yunsung's expression seemed grave, as he looked down at the horrid shard in his hands. And Seung Mina sighed, picking up the menu and looking at the odd words and trying to make sense of them as well. She hummed to herself, pondering what was yet to come. "Hm… this is certainly getting interesting…"

The ceiling was made completely out of wood, Yoshimitsu noticed, and from the looks of it, it seemed ready to fall apart. He dared not look anywhere else to see how poor this man's family truly was, and of course, a house in itself was a luxury. At least they were very luck to still have that…

He didn't know how long he had been asleep, really… he did see sunlight creeping in through the open window… THAT at least told him it had to be late afternoon. That and the usual pattern of the insects told him that dusk was on its way…

The masked ninja wasn't sure if there was anyone in the room with him, and he could not help but give a relieved sigh. He wondered… if that girl was alright.

And, as his good hand slipped down, to press against the dry bandages, he wondered if he could ever tell her the truth? The wound seemed fine… and it had healed itself faster than he had expected it to. Still, he hated to have to cut himself, to cover up his last mistake. The truth… wasn't something that he thought she could take right now. She been through enough as it was…

Listening to the rather eccentric insects outside was oddly calming to him, as he tried to sleep again. It seemed hard, as he could not get his mind off of current events. Why were Voldo and Nightmare after the girl? What could she possibly have that they would want? And, more importantly, as he finally moved his masked head somehow, to look outside the window, did she still have it?

He knew if she did and she came here… then this village would be in trouble soon. And that meant only one thing…

Rising from the bed, he was surprised how light his head felt, and he feared that he was still wounded, until he noticed his helmet resting on the table next to him. He gave a chuckle, quickly grasping it and placing it on his head, and subconsciously, his hand ventured towards his hip, to grab his sword. When his good hand touched nothing, he sighed, "My sword… idiot."

No sooner had he rose, the door swung open, and, like any normal person would have done, he leapt back into bed, trying to fake sleep. Of course, when he DID this, the man was already halfway inside the building, and he wore a confused, yet bright smile, as Yoshimitsu stared at him. "Sir, are… are you ready to go already?!"

The masked ninja did not blink, or at least the villager couldn't see it, as his red eyes shone brightly. How could he say yes and not feel guilty for it? After all, this man had returned the favor it seemed… sometimes acting as everyone's hero was a little bit of a problem. "As much as I thank you for your hospitality, I must go."

"Sir, won't you at least stay the night? What about your wound?"

Wondering if he would have to cut himself again, Yoshimitsu replied, as he sat up, his smile so welcoming, despite how it was plastered there. "All wounds heal with time, some quicker than others!"

That man, however, was not willing to let him go, as he rushed to Yoshimitsu's side, forcing him to lay down as he went to look at the wound. He had no heart to push his concern away, so he allowed him to undo the bandages to see that there was no wound there… only a scar from what Voldo left a few days before. The man was baffled, as he asked, "Sir… you came here this morning, dripping with blood… how can that be?!"

"Naturally faster healer, if I say so myself! Look at my hand… good as new!" Yoshimitsu joked, giving his wooden arm a pluck and trying to cover up any suspicion. He was lucky, as the man showed nothing but relief, and now, Yoshimitsu tried again to get out of the house, as he sat up again. "Now, if you'd excuse me, I must be on my way!"

"Please! At least stay the night…"

The night? No… he couldn't. He had to find the little girl and get them both as far away from this village as possible. And as much as Yoshimitsu wanted to warn him, he held back… the man wouldn't understand! Yoshimitsu spoke softly now, and his voice was oddly soothing, as he tried to persuade the man otherwise. "A ninja of the night as myself must come and go, so that he leaves no trace. Though criminal it would be to decline such hospitality, one must overcome his own rudeness to do what is right…"

The man just gave him such a look, and he could say nothing. Yoshimitsu was afraid that perhaps he overboard on his poetic side, when they heard the shout of the woman. "Supper is on its way! Thierry, see if would at LEAST stay for supper!"

That little bit of distraction was enough for Yoshimitsu to gain his freedom, and he gave a low screech, spinning fast and disappearing into thin air as the man turned around again. The man was trapped in silence, and he called out the man's name, hoping for an answer. "Wait! How… how am I suppose to repay you? My daughter will live now… how can I even begin to thank you?"

"You can by telling the girl to meet me at the gates before nightfall… farewell!"

"What? What do you mean?" The man heard that voice, but he could not find it, even as he rushed outside. He called out now, hoping that Yoshimitsu heard his call. "Will we ever see you again?!"

Yoshimitsu, however, did not answer, and the odd ninja was several blocks away already, finding a safe haven on top of what looked to be an old church. Now, he could get a good look at the village at least. Yes, it was definitely a poor little village on the outskirts of France… it would explain the man's name, Yoshimitsu figured. As he took a seat on top of the abandoned church, and crossed his legs, to meditate.

France wasn't all that far away from Italy, Yoshimitsu thought, thankful to feel the wind play with his odd clothing. A scheme formulated and strengthened in the back of his mind, one that he had been pondering upon more and more as of late. Vercci's treasure could be obtained…

Letting his thoughts wonder on that topic, he closed his eyes, merely waiting for nightfall to come. Vercci's tomb would have to wait… at least until he was sure this village, as small and poor as it may be, was safe.

"Where are you now, Voldo…??"


End file.
